Mini Miracles

 Some things happen in our lives that may not seem like a miracle - but miracles don't always have to be unexplainable to be a miracle. This week miracles looked like finding time, organizing, harvesting, canning, teaching the gospel, serving friends, and feeling growth from each little experience.

Miracle 1: I finished the Marble!!! I was commissioned to have a marble painting done for the end of the summer. I was given a specific board to paint it on, and I finished it this week!

Miracle 2: We picked 4 big bowls of apples and juiced 10 quarts of apple juice this week.

Miracle  3: We loved helping Janice unload her moving truck.

Miracle  4: I LOVE getting organized, and the shop project is spurring projects in the house, under the deck and in the garden shed!

Miracle  5: Dad and I worked together studying for the Priesthood and Relief Society lesson he was teaching, and he had a great, discussion in his class.

Miracle  6: Awesome haircuts given by Charity

Don't the little things, the small miracle moments, just make your heart sing? We have been so blessed this week.!

Chaos Transformed

 We finished our summer cleans at our respective schools on Thursday! YAY!!! With the time off that we have had, we have really focused our time and energy on organizing the shop. 

First, we built floor-to-ceiling shelves in the corner designed to store totes filled with things we use only annually like Christmas and camping things. Those shelves filled up fast when we loaded them!!! 

Next, we built shelves and drawers under the counter. It was hard to see the difference that day, especially with everything still in the middle but we sorted through about 5 bins and removed them from the building. Loading the shelves and drawers opened up space for the next steps.

Saturday we repurposed the old lockers, making them a shelf for the jugs of oil and other liquids cars snack on. We ripped the wood table from Claresholm nearly in half and mounted it to the wall placing the narrower piece above it for a shelf. Dad cut off the end of the table and hinged it onto the side so he could fold it up out of the way, and not lose the counter space. Very clever.

The tool board is filling in as well.,, more evidence of the order that is slowly manifesting through our efforts to tame the chaos of so much. 

Our days have been all of 12 hours, plus at the same time, life is still happening. In the house, we've juiced a pile of apples, harvested vegetables for supper, and done all the usual things. I have also been pouring resin.

You know, sometimes life can feel like that full shed with the pressures and demands of our schedules and responsibilities pressing on us, demanding our time and attention. In my experience, without restoring order, progress cannot happen. We started with a bench, clearing surfaces, and designating categories. It progressed with the building of shelves and drawers and filling them, then sorting more things and repeating the process. But order is coming and it is like that in our lives. When we take care of the things that we maybe don't want to face or do, it opens up space to do the things we really love. That is the end goal for Dad's shop, to give him a space where he can do the things he really loves, and when he can do those things, it will bless not only his life but many other lives as well. Chaos, transformed into order, brings joy.

My Jesus Hobby

Every week I try to review a General Conference talk. This week I focused on the message given by Bonnie H. Cordon called "Never Give Up an Opportunity to Testify of Jesus Christ.

I love to ponder the question, "How can I make everything I do an opportunity to testify of Jesus Christ? I love the Savior, but this question helped me see that I can definitely do more! My children have coined the phrase, "Mom's Jesus Hobby," largely because I love to study His words and I love to find Him in every detail of my life. He is more to me than a hobby, but I love every minute I spend drawing closer to Him.

I feel like, the more I invite Him into my life, the more I can testify of what He does for me. I love that Sister Cordon taught that the things that we do to SEEK Christ are sacred opportunities to testify of Him as well. I love the idea that fasting, prayer, scripture study, and even cultivating Christlike virtues are all opportunities to testify of Jesus Christ. 

Sister Cordon says, "Look for Christ everywhere - I promise He is there!"

What if Jesus really was our hobby? If the subject of Him consumed our minds, filled our hearts, and created beauty in our words and actions. If we loved that hobby and gave it as much time as we do some of our secular hobbies, I believe that miracles would fill our lives, joy would be ours daily, and His power and strength would guide our actions and interactions with others. Let's look for Jesus everywhere!!!

Good Clean Mountain Fun

A day of fun in the mountains was a much-needed diversion from the busy schedules and demands of life. After walking the teetering truck trail together, and exploring the Emerald Lake trail, we headed on over to Crowsnest Lake where we planned to play all day! It was a chilly day and that kept the crowds down to nearly zero, but it's like Charity said, "I'd take the crowds if it meant a little heat!" Thankfully I came prepared with a pile of blankets, so we wrapped up tight along the lake's shore and played games. Breanna was determined to swim, and she actually went in the water, but besides a little wading... that was the extent of it. 

We didn't avoid water play altogether, however. We had all brought our swimming suits, so we went down to the Blairmore outdoor pool - after all they had a hot tub!!! When we got there, they ushered us directly to the changing rooms - it was their FREE swim, which literally meant we got to swim for free!!! BONUS! We spent a couple of hours there. The kids stayed together, Dad favored the hot tub and I went back and forth. They went down the waterslide several times, and then they made a game of standing all together on one of the floatation boards. Of course, most of the time that thing would get submerged and tip up and back to the surface sending them off in different directions, but they did succeed once in standing on it for all of about 2 seconds before being thrown off again.

We also found a nice secluded spot with a little mountain stream trickling by where we brought supper and just enjoyed eating together in such a beautiful and peaceful place. 

That was the end of our day's adventures, but what a good day it had been filled with great memories. Not only we were blessed to be surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in our area, but we also got to spend our day with some of the most beautiful souls in my acquaintance. I find great joy in this kind of beauty.

Walking The Teetering Truck Trail

 

Years ago, as not much more than a toddler, and still in the days of sketchy roads with hairpin bends in them, I remember an outing where my family was preserved by the Lord who directed the events of the day such that the truck that tipped on a sharp bend in the road didn't push my mom and sister into Emerald Lake. You can still walk the old road, and this weekend we took a few of our children on that short hike which I have dubbed 'The Teetering Truck Trail.'

The day was actually chilly, which was a surprise after the intense heat wave that we experienced through most of the week, but it turned out to be a pretty nice day for a mountain outing. We enjoyed the walk on the old highway, and it gave us once again a real sense of what happened all those years ago.

Myles poses on a rock

Oki runs to Breanna

Dad walking on the shore

Dad

Myles and Charity

I am so thankful for the beauty that we got to enjoy along the teetering truck trail. While we hiked the old road a chilly wind came up which encouraged us to hike down to the lake shore below. We've never hiked down there before, and it is absolutely beautiful and so sheltered. I can't help but think that it would be a wonderful spot to set up a hammock and read a good book. It is peaceful, secluded, and beautiful, even with the highway so close by.

I think that spirituality is a lot like our hike down to the lake shore. We were still very close to the main flow of traffic through that pass, and yet, we were removed from it... Not out of touch, just peacefully, and contentedly distanced. I know that for me, the days can whip by in a flurry of busyness, but when I take time for my spiritual needs, it is that small step back, into the shelter and beauty of god's world that fills my soul. That is joy!

The Law of the Gospel - Sunday Talk

                                    The Law of the Gospel

Sacrament Meeting Talk                                                                       August 20, 2023  

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As I speak today, please imagine yourself to be traveling by bus with friends from a faraway place to your home. I know that travel by bus isn’t always considered to be the most comfortable, and can feel long and tedious… but it isn’t about the speed or comfort of the journey. Let's start with a question…

How often do you review the covenants you have made with the Lord? 

Elder M Russell Ballard taught that, “A periodic review of the covenants we have made with the Lord will help us with our priorities and with balance in our lives. This review will help us see where we need to repent and change our lives to ensure that we are worthy of the promises that accompany our covenants and sacred ordinances. Working out our own salvation requires good planning and a deliberate, valiant effort”[1]

In October 2021, President Nelson invited us “to set a regular time to rehearse in [our] mind[s] the covenants [we] have made.” He said, “I plead with you to seek—prayerfully and consistently—to understand temple covenants and ordinances. Spiritual doors will open. You will learn how to part the veil between heaven and earth, how to ask for God’s angels to attend you, and how better to receive direction from heaven. Your diligent efforts to do so will reinforce and strengthen your spiritual foundation.”[2]

This month we have had the opportunity to review our covenants. Last week in sacrament meeting, we learned about the law of sacrifice and the law of consecration from our high councilmen. We were taught that the law of sacrifice is to give our best offering, even a broken heart, and a contrite spirit. It includes repentance and the partaking of the sacrament. We were reminded that our sacrifices should result in drawing us closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ, and make us more holy. We were taught that the law of consecration has at its heart a ministering principle – it fosters love, unity, and gratitude in our hearts toward others. It also helps us align our will with that of our Father in Heaven resulting in a deep connection with God and others. Today I will share a few of the things I love about the law of the gospel.

There are many layers to our covenants, our baptismal covenants give us a firm foundation in gospel living, inviting us to draw closer to Christ through the sacrament, through ministering, through a deeper focus on and greater commitment to our Savior. As we continue to make covenants we gain a deeper understanding and commitment to those principles. As I ponder the covenants I have made and how they have impacted my life, I am awed at the intensity of the potential for heavenly power they invite through strengthening and building relationships with God as well as with others.

I have learned and reviewed so much in preparing this message. I would love to share with you all that I value about the law of the gospel, but I am going to highlight only a few of those things and I pray that the Spirit will move you as well to gain a deeper understanding of this law as [Elder Ballard and] President Nelson have admonished us to do.

RELATIONSHIP

Think of the covenants we make with the Lord as different aspects of building a relationship with Him. As I have done this, I have found that much of what He asks us to do is very similar to what we do as we develop deep friendships in life. Anthony Sweat put it this way…

 “Living the gospel means that we have entered a relationship with our Lord. A deep, covenant-committed intimate one at that.”[3]

In a good relationship, there is love, respect, loyalty, joy, service, generosity, togetherness, harmony, forgiveness, mercy, celebration and so much more. Can you see how these same traits are also encouraged by the Lord through the making and keeping of a covenant relationship with Him?

THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST

In the temple, we covenant to live the Lord‘s gospel. The law of the gospel centers on following our Savior, Jesus Christ, taking His name upon us by covenant, and being born again to become more holy like Christ in our character. The handbook teaches that “Obey[ing] the law of the gospel of Jesus Christ, … is the higher law that He taught while He was on the earth.”[4]

In scripture, Jesus is very clear about what defines his gospel. Nephi calls it the Doctrine of Christ and it can be found in 2 Nephi 31-33. It can be summarized by five things: faith, repentance, baptism, reception of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end by continuing in the covenant.[5]  

Last October, President Nelson invited us to overcome the world. If we are to overcome the world, we are “trusting the doctrine of Christ more than the philosophies of men.”[6]

“If we are to accept President Nelson’s invitation to have the doctrine of Christ rooted in the marrow of our bones[7], there are some specific things we must do. In the spirit of faith, we deepen our conversion to the Lord by study, prayer, and faithful living. We invite daily and continual repentance into our hearts, inviting Christlike change. We invite the Holy Ghost to engrave the doctrine of Christ in the “fleshy tables of [our] heart[s]”[8] as deeply and as permanently as it was engraved by Nephi upon the plates of gold.”[9]  As we remain continually engaged in faith-filled activities, heartfelt repentance, covenant conviction, and seek guidance through the gift of the Holy Ghost we will be enduring to the end.

As we “endure in our covenants, we will feel His transforming power and we will become, slowly but surely, more like Him.”[10]

To help illustrate how this works, think of yourself on that bus returning home from far away. To pass the time you keep yourselves entertained by engaging in a memory game of words. With each turn you take, there are more words for you to remember and recite. The idea is to make it to the front of the bus, and each successful recitation earns you a move forward, however, forgetting causes you to move to the back of the bus. Each turn could be compared to an act of faith, repentance, covenant commitment or inspired action through the Holy Ghost. Because we are imperfect people, striving for perfection, we know that we will make mistakes. Like being on the bus, when we fail to live the law of the gospel perfectly, we will need to repent, rededicate our hearts to the Savior, and seek the change that is possible through His atoning sacrifice and love. We give ourselves the grace to move back as much as we rejoice in moving forward. But no matter what, don’t overlook the fact that you all stayed on the bus… no matter where you sat… no matter how you were doing in the game… you were still on the bus and the bus is taking you ever closer to home… to your Father in Heaven. This is enduring to the end. “Trying and slipping and trying again is not mocking God as much as it is honoring Him by using the gift of the Atonement that He and His Son so lovingly provided.”[11] As we stay on the covenant path, living true to the Law of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and no matter what errors, weaknesses, or obstacles obstruct our path, we are still moving ever closer to our Savior, and “we will feel His transforming power …[and] become, slowly but surely, more like Him.”[12]

So, in its simplicity, the law of the gospel consists of faith, repentance, covenant making and keeping, receiving and living IN the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. As we live the gospel we “strive for Christlike character, we … strive to leave behind everything that is unholy, vain, trifling, inappropriate, or rude.”[13]

HIGHER AND HOLIER

President Nelson often uses the phrase “higher and holier.” You may remember hearing him teach:

• ·         A higher and holier way of gratitude

• ·         His disciples live in a higher and holier way

• ·         A higher and holier pattern of service

• ·         Minister in higher and holier spirit-filled ways

• ·         Walk the covenant path each day in a higher and holier way

How does this phrase pertain to the law of the gospel?

“As we live the law of the gospel and are changed through the Atonement of Christ, we begin to live the higher, [holier], celestial teachings of Jesus Christ as taught in the Sermon on the Mount. The Sermon on the Mount is the Lord’s handbook for living the higher law of His gospel.”

“In the Sermon on the Mount[14], Jesus seeks to lift His listeners to an elevated way of living. He touches on anger, forgiveness, immorality, honesty, resisting evil, loving our enemies, fasting, praying, and seeking first God’s kingdom, among many other things.”[15] He begins His teachings with

• ·         “It hath been said by them of old time…” Then follows it up with…

• ·         “But I say unto you…” and He gives a higher, holier way to live.

“In essence, he is saying, “This is how a telestial person would handle this, here’s how a terrestrial person may, and here’s how a celestial one should.” 

For example, the commandment to not commit adultery:

•  A telestial way is to commit adultery

•  A terrestrial way is to not commit adultery but still indulge in immoral thoughts and ideas

•  A celestial way is to keep one’s thoughts and ideas pure, virtuous, and clean.

Another example from the commandment “Thou shalt not kill.”

• Telestial  people kill

• Terrestrial people don’t kill but still become enraged

• Celestial people are temperate, do not let anger linger, and instead seek to reconcile offenses with others.

CELESTIAL LAW

We could go through each of the commandments this way, but do you see how Jesus’ law of the gospel invites us to live by a celestial law? I would like to share a few examples of the ten commandments in celestial verbiage that I used when teaching seminary.

I.                     Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, might, mind, and strength.

II.                    Thou shalt put God first before career, sports, pleasure, occupation, or the pursuit thereof. Thou shalt serve God all thy days.

III.                  Thou shalt take upon thee the name of thy Savior, Jesus Christ, with deep reverence and appreciation for His sacrifice for thee.

IV.                  Thou shalt observe the Sabbath day as the holiest of days and thereby increase thy love for the Lord thy God.

V.                    Honor thy family, every member. Strengthen and support them without judgment or criticism. Love them unconditionally that thy days shall be long upon the earth.

VI.                  Thou shalt seek the good in others and refrain from anger

VII.                 Thou shalt guard thy thoughts, words, and actions and keep them virtuous and clean at all times, in all places, and in all things.

VIII.               Thou shalt be filled with integrity, consistently acting on what ye know to be right.

IX.                  Thou shalt deal honestly and uprightly with thy fellowmen in every word that cometh forth from thy mouth and in every action that proceedeth therefrom.

X.                    Thou shalt rejoice in the success of thy neighbor and exert thy energies toward helping and assisting him.

I would like to invite each of you to ponder the ten commandments, and as a family or individually, take some time to transpose each telestial law to a higher and holier celestial law. As you do, pay close attention to what the Holy Ghost impresses upon your heart. You may even choose to consider the other topics that the Savior addressed in the Sermon on the Mount. This exercise will help you understand the Law of the Gospel more deeply and feel the Holy Ghost lifting you closer to your Father in Heaven.

When all is said and done, and we stand before our Savior on the judgment day we will find that, “the gospel of God is written, … in our lives [and hearts] …. It is … written … with acts and deeds in the book of Life of each believing and obedient person. It is engraved in the flesh and bones and sinews of those who live a celestial law, which is the law of the gospel.”[16]

 Bruce R McConkie further taught that this “law of Christ… calls upon [us] to forsake the world and rise above every carnal and evil thing. It calls upon [us] to repent and be baptized and receive the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit of God. It requires that [we] become new creatures of the Holy Ghost. Only those who so live acquire thereby celestial bodies; only such bodies can stand celestial glory, and this glory is found only in a celestial kingdom. Since the final destiny of this earth is to become a celestial globe, it thereby becomes the ultimate and highest heaven for all the faithful who have lived on its surface.”[17]

I pray that we may each take time to consider the invitation of our prophet “to set a regular time to rehearse in [our] mind[s] the covenants [we] have made.”[18] As we do so may spiritual doors open. May we learn how to part the veil between heaven and earth, how to ask for God’s angels to attend us, and how better to receive direction from heaven. As we diligently strive to live a higher and holier law, even the celestial law of the Gospel of Jesus Christ we will not only reinforce and strengthen our spiritual foundations, but we will seek to live His holy teachings with greater conviction and become like Him in His divine character. As we gradually attain the holy attributes of the Son of God, we will one day hear the words, “Blessed are ye…””[19]

It is my testimony that there is great power and blessings in our covenants. I pray that we will always stay on the bus. In the name….

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• [1] M Russell Ballard, General Conference, Apr. 1987

• [2] Russell M Nelson, The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation, General Conference, October 2021

• [3] Anthony Sweat, The Holy Covenants, p. 75

• Jesus frequently uses marriage to describe his relationship with his loyal followers. When we join ourselves with Jesus, in the gospel covenant, we become an heir with him and gain access to all his gifts, powers, abilities, and virtues. His goodness becomes our goodness. His purity is our purity. His holiness is our holiness. That is why The gospel is translated and called the good news. The good news is that if we are his covenant people, he will purify, justify, and sanctify us, bringing us to heaven with him, despite our moral weakness.“ – Anthony Sweat, the holy covenant, pages 75–76

• [4] General Handbook 27.2

• [5] 3 Nephi 27:13–20; Doctrine and Covenants, 33:10–12; 36:9; The doctrine of Christ “encompasses the [whole] law of the gospel. It is the great plan for eternal life.” [Evan A Schmutz, Trusting the Doctrine of Christ, General Conference, April 2023, paragraph 6]

• [6] Evan A Schmutz, Trusting the Doctrine of Christ, General Conference, April 2023

• [7]  “More than anything else, we want our missionaries… to have the doctrine of Christ engraved in their hearts – rooted… in the marrow of their bones.” Russell M Nelson to newly called mission leaders

• [8] “Invite the Holy Ghost to engrave the doctrine of Christ in the ‘fleshy tables of our hearts ” [2 Corinthians 3:3; Evan A Schmutz, Trusting the Doctrine of Christ, General Conference, April 2023, paragraph 7]

• [9] Evan A Schmutz, Trusting the Doctrine of Christ, General Conference, April 2023

• [10] Brad Wilcox, The Law of the Gospel, BYU-Idaho Education Week, July 31, 2015

• [11] Brad Wilcox, The Law of the Gospel, BYU-Idaho Education Week, July 31, 2015

• [12] Brad Wilcox, The Law of the Gospel, BYU-Idaho Education Week, July 31, 2015

• [13] Anthony Sweat, The Holy Covenants, page 79

• [14] Matthew 5-7; 3 Nephi 12-14

• [15] Brad Wilcox, The Law of the Gospel, BYU-Idaho Education Week, July 31, 2015

• [16] Bruce R McConkie, Our Gospel Came Not Unto You In Word Only, General Conference, October 1968

• “The revelation is very clear in the statement that all who cannot abide the celestial law, or the law of the Gospel, must abide another kingdom.” [Joseph Fielding Smith, Church History and Modern Revelation Volume 2, pages 130-131]

• [17] Bruce R McConkie, The Millennial Messiah, p. 697-698

• [18] Russell M Nelson, The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation, General Conference, October 2021

• [19] Anthony Sweat, The Holy Covenants, p. 80

Gizmo's and Gadgets Galore!

 This week we put the final tweaks on the shop door and installed the lock. With everything being brought into the shop from about 6-10 different places in the house and yard, tools are not easy to find. The ones used most often are somewhat within reach, but last week when things were needed, things got stacked on top of other things, and that resulted in parts and tools going missing. Finding them always required reducing or moving piles. 

Well, Monday, we decided that we needed to get that problem in hand, so we started the morning hours of our holiday together in the shop. We sorted and organized for a couple of hours, and got the workbench completely clear. While I attended to some of my responsibilities, my husband was able to finish the door project and that felt great. 

When I got back, he was able to change the oil for Breanna before she had to go back home. Since that time, we have started populating the pegboard wall with the items that are frequently used. We have drawers to build, and shelves to put up before we finish organizing, but every little piece of organized space, adds a good feeling to the project.

Getting Together

Well, most of you know that we had a family gathering this past week. In fact, it was our first official family reunion in over 10 years! I will admit to some anxiety over being there, but my prayers were answered and I was blessed with the calm and peace that I needed n the very moment I needed it. All my grandchildren were in attendance. I found enjoyment in just watching them all play and enjoy themselves. It was particularly enjoyable snuggling the babies...

The kids played on a bouncy house, enjoyed water games, and the highlight was probably the pinata. They were all eager to take their turn with the bat, and when Everlee hit it and noticed a hole...

I think it surprised her! 

A family meal highlighting the patriarch and matriarch of the family's favorite foods was enjoyed together with fried chicken being bounteous, and a strawberry rhubarb pie made by Beth a popular dessert. There was also a pudding 'dirt' cake that went fast! The kids loved that one!!! Visiting ensued through the afternoon.

Attendance was pretty good, though there were some who for work or personal reasons were unable to come this year. Realistically, we will never have 100% attendance, we are a growing family and as generations pile upon generations, there will be more and more who won't be able to make the date, but it is still worth the effort to gather. I think we need the practice... I know that I do.

A New Journey

 Probably one of the most exciting things that I started this week, was the journey to additional education. You may wonder why a woman old enough to be the grandmother of 7 little ones would want to get more education... and I probably don't really have a concrete answer for you, but suffice it to say that I feel strongly compelled to get it and I am thrilled at the prospect of beginning the journey! I plan to go all the way to a bachelor's degree.

I am so blessed to be able to do this by distance through BYU-Idaho. That's my old college... years ago it was Rick's College but is now a university. The option to do this all by distance means my days will be fuller, but I can continue to work, serve, grandparent, and remain active in all the other things I have responsibility for and delight in doing! It does mean I need to be more accountable with my time, and hopefully, I'll still be able to do some blogging to keep my loved ones updated, but I am willing to sacrifice some leisure activities for this. 

Oh! ... "What degree?" you are asking. Well, to start with I will be working on just simple BYU-Pathways. I have yet to apply for my specialized classes, but I will start with the family relations certificate and move on from there. 

One other thing that I am super excited about with this course of study, is that I get to participate in weekly institute classes! I loved institute when I was in college and it thrills me to be able to have religious instruction become a part of my life again. Wish me luck!